1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a detection system that analyzes call placement information concerning toll calls for detecting unauthorized use of billing numbers. In the preferred embodiment, a set of artificial intelligence rules operate on the call placement information to develop an indication that the use of a particular billing number is unauthorized.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of telecommunications toll fraud, it is important to have advanced toll fraud prevention techniques. Prevention is especially important when the unauthorized use is for international calls because the interexchange carrier handling the call may have to transfer payments to the destination telephone company, even if the toll charge is uncollectible.
In response, interexchange carriers have instituted various toll fraud prevention schemes which are only partially successful, as illustrated by the fact that interexchange carriers will not place toll calls using a billing number to certain countries. Additionally, these schemes also prevent legitimate billing number calls and represent a loss of potential revenue to the carriers.